Suddenly I See
by ZeldaChao19
Summary: Tokka / What will it take for you to see me? - Tokka Week 2.
1. o1

.

**Suddenly I See**

* * *

**Chapter One**

_"Your faith in me brings me to tears, even after all these years.  
And it pains me so much to tell, that you don't know me that well."_

**Shenanigan**

* * *

Toph sat under one of the many maple trees scattered across the ground near their campsite, head resting back against the rough bark. She sat in serene silence as the sun set over the white-tipped hilltops in the distance, painting the sky a striking violet. The moon hung in the vast, azure-tinted sea above the land like a dream-catcher while the stars were peeked through even the darkest of the clouds, ready and waiting to shine through into the midnight sky. She was waiting for Sokka to arrive and bring her the news. Merely enjoying being free again, she didn't notice the time it was taking him.

The six of them had been camping for a few days by now, somewhere in the north of the Fire Nation. Toph had forgotten its name; was it really _that _important? What _was _important was why they were here. There had been fights breaking out all over a near-by village caused, of course, by a group of rebels. The whole thing wasn't hugely urgent, seen as these things tended to die down after a few months, but the Gaang had decided to travel together for old time's sake. And Spirits, did it feel good to get back on the road again!

Footsteps approached her from the direction of the campsite and she grudgingly peeled open her jade eyes, already knowing it was Sokka.

"Sorry I took so long. Katara kept asking what I was doing." He took a seat next to her, leaning back against the bark while his gaze flew up to the rainbow of colours in the sky.

"How long d'you think it'll take before he notices?" she asked nonchalantly, watching him for a moment through her sightless orbs. She stretched out her feet and leaned back a second or two later, moving her hands behind her head. The air was so fresh out here. It was great to get back outside after being cooped up in Zuko's palace for so often (she was enjoying avoiding the formality, too). She curled her toes up, letting the dirt wedge itself comfortably between her petite toes. Man, had she missed that feeling.

Sokka gave her a slight smirk. "Not too long."

Her lips formed a small smile. That was another thing she had missed; Sokka's company. He'd been with Suki practically _all_ of the time as of late and she hadn't even had the time to share a joke with him, let alone hold a conversation! It was relaxing though, sitting outside with him, just her and Sokka sitting in the stretch of land beyond the smell of the campfire and, well, Appa. Toph couldn't help but wonder; why couldn't this feeling just last forever?

And then they heard the satisfying scream of a very surprised Aang.

* * *

_"I'm like a bird, I'll only fly away.  
I don't know where my soul is, I don't know where my home is."_

* * *

_._


	2. o2

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**Suddenly I See**

* * *

**Chapter Two**

_"Make no promises to me, you're slowly melting.  
Wake up then fall back asleep, you're quickly fading."_

**Oblivious**

* * *

There he was again; with her. It figures. Even after the previous evening, when they had seemed so close to one another again, he would always run off back to Suki. And she would be left alone. Again. She missed the _real _good old days, when it was just the four of them, when he was able to make her laugh so effortlessly. Sure, that was still the case, but it was now such a rare occurance that from time to time she would find herself longing just to hear his voice. Only his voice, and even just a few simple words.

Where had that come from?

The war was over, it had been for a few years now, and everyone was betting, _hoping_, on some stupid and non-existent "Happy Ending". As if that was going to happen; it was nothing more than wishful thinking, granted it was better than dreading, daily, what may happen next. But they couldn't hide from it, sneak under the covers and hope the possibility will disappear, forever. Around the corner would be another attach, another invasion; another time the Avatar would have to unleash his powers upon the world and carry it through to peace. Freedom comes at a price.

From the other end of the campsite, Sokka leaned over a pecked Suki on the cheek. Toph couldn't see it but she could damn well hear it. That girl's pulse had to be the most unwanted thing that she had ever had to put up with. Her expression changed into that ever-familiar frown that she wore now-a-days and her blood seethed beneath her skin, pump rapidly through her veins.

She wanted to be Suki. It wasn't even that hard to imagine being her for once, just for a day. Sometimes she could almost feel his touch. It sent shivers down her spine. His hand taking hers, his fingers caressing her cheek, his lips brushing chastely against hers… and she hated the thought. This was _Sokka_, why did she feel this way? They were friends, that was all. Just friends. Yet she couldn't stop her heart from increasing its beat in her chest, just the slightest, when they talked. When he would turn to her and smile, when he would ask her questions, even when he was moping for being made a mockery of; she loved it.

Why?

Katara had told her once that she was in love ('course, she hadn't been stupid enough to reveal _who _she had these feelings for – she seemed to think it was Sparky). She had dismissed the assumption before the mere idea could get inside her mind. She didn't want to think of him like that. Not at all. She wanted to be friendly with him again, without caring how she acted, how she spoke, even _what she looked like_. It was all so unknown to her to experience this.

She blamed Suki. She had been happily oblivious to her feelings for Sokka before he and Zuko had brought her back from the Fire Nation prison. Back then she hadn't particularly cared what he thought of her. As long as he didn't hate her, she was fine. She could laugh at him, rather than with him, without feeling guilty; without being in constant worry that she had hurt him in some way. What was wrong with her?

Lately she even had to ask herself the same question, repeatedly;

Shouldn't she be used to it by now?

Maybe she would forget about him some day. And though it hurt to even think about such a thing, she knew that it had to be done. He was perfectly happy with Suki; he didn't need her anymore. There was no point in standing on the sidelines, waiting to be wanted,_ needed_, again. She used to be singled out to him; he used to be someone she was actually able to talk to about the things she didn't show. What had happened to those days?

He was completely unaware of the way she saw him, that she knew and knew it well. But it still hurt. And surely she could forget about him if she tried. She really could, for it couldn't be too much of a challenge to erase one person from your heart, forever, could it?

Wishful thinking, that's what it was.

* * *

_"Hey man, you'll have to wait your turn, I can see that your jonesin.  
Taste no flavours on my tongue, they've evaporated, you've disintegrated."_

* * *

.


	3. o3

.

**Suddenly I See**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

_"She's a Killer Queen, gunpowder, gelatine,  
Dynamite with a laser beam, guaranteed to blow your mind."_

**Flame**

* * *

"Toph!" he took her hand gently in his own calloused one and led her in the direction he had just come from. She squinted at him and cocked her head, noticeably puzzled by his sudden (but not wholly unexpected) excitement. "There's something I want you to see!" It took him a brief moment to realise his mistake but he was getting better at correcting himself. "I mean feel! Sorry!"

His eyes met with hers, an apologetic cerulean glance against her icy emerald glare. He chuckled awkwardly to break the silence, hoping to the Spirits that she wasn't about to cause him any physical damage for his tiny little error. He was in luck today as a frown crossed her lips and she looked away. He, however, did not.

Never before had he noticed how attractive Toph was (was it the light in the clearing?) Her hair fell around her face in an absolute chaotic mess, yet there was something profoundly elegant about it. It was dark, jet black, resembling the midnight sky so perfectly that he wouldn't be surprised to see stars. Now that he thought about it (maybe it had crossed his mind once or twice before…) she really would have no trouble finding someone to spend her life with. Of course, that was a long way off… but she was beautiful, with a playfully innocent air about her. Who wouldn't be drawn towards that?

Wait. Wait, _what_?

Where on earth did all of that come from? And… why did it bother him so much?

In less than a second, it sparked a flame.

Sokka tore his eyes away from hers before she caught onto the fact that he was staring. He then proceeded to mentally his himself (saved her the trouble). He was with Suki! So why were these thoughts coming up now, of all times? He'd never had them before (had he?) To be honest, he'd never even thought of Toph as, well, a girl before, let alone a young woman. She had never acted particularly girly, at least not around him, and compared to some of the guys he knew she was by far that tougher one (take Aang, for example).

She could kick any guy's ass if she had to and with such ease that it truly amazed him sometimes. Her strength outmatched most of them the majority of the time. In spite of that, she could still be so, well… adorable, sometimes. Or maybe that was the wrong word?

When he looked back now to the few times he had seen her in a dress that was definitely not what had been going through his mind. He'd have been likely to push those thoughts aside, pretty ashamed of himself for thinking such things, but they had been there never-the-less. He couldn't deny it. He'd noticed how the fabric had clung to her curves (and when did she even get those?), how it showed off her shape so perfectly and how radiant she had looked. She absolutely loathed them, something she made clear to anyone who commented on her choice of clothing, but maybe he wished just the slightest bit that she would wear them just a little bit more often.

She hadn't looked adorable. She had looked gorgeous.

He paused, taking a step back from the situation and analysing it. Her hand in his; it felt completely normal, as if it had always been that way, as if it belonged there. Her skin wasn't soft like other girls. It was rough but at the same time strangely delicate. All those years of eathbending really had armoured her well, not to mention how simply awesome her skills had become because of them.

And again he found himself staring into those tempting, jade-tinted eyes of hers, become lost in his own resurfaced emotions. It really was hard to believe she was blind sometimes when she moved with such grace (not that it ruined her tough attitude). Her eyes, though sightless, always peered at her surrounds in the secret hope of seeing them some day. And Sokka would love to give her that gift; the gift of sight. He'd give almost anything for the satisfaction of putting a smile on her face, letting her see the world in colour instead of vibrations.

… Spirits. This was absurd. He was with Toph. _Toph! _Why was he suddenly noticing her this way?

And how _couldn't _he have noticed her this way before?

That one small flame grew to an almost overwhelming size and, confusion and conflict aside, Sokka could hardly ignore something so powerful.

* * *

_"Drop of a hat she's as willing as, playful as a pussy cat.  
Then momentarily out of action, temporarily out of gas.  
To absolutely drive you wild, wild...  
She's all out to get you."_

* * *

_._


	4. o4

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**Suddenly I See**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

_"Said there's a few things you should know,  
We don't want you to see we come and we go; here today, gone tomorrow."_

**Sneak Attack**

* * *

They hadn't been walking long when it happened. Toph had stopped him in his tracks, extending her arm before him in warning, and the pair of them had glanced around, listening intently. "We're being followed," was all she managed before they descended from above in the blink of an eye, landing all around the duo. There had to be at least a dozen of them in the surrounding area and she wouldn't have been surprised if there were even more waiting as 'back-up'. It was a real shame she couldn't feel vibrations as clearly when there were this any opponents.

Sokka stepped in front of her protectively, creating a barrier from the enemies to her. And what was the point in that? She was much strong then him. She could easily take out each and every one of them, ambush or not. Bring it on; this would be a piece of cake!

Or so she had thought.

Before she could slip into her usual fighting position, someone clamped their hand firmly over her mouth and dragged her back. Her eyes flew open both in shock and anger. How could they have sneaked up on her so easily? She hadn't sensed a thing, just like when she'd first fought Twinkle Toes all those years ago. What the hell were these guys; ninjas?

She kicked out, trying to free herself from his firm grasp, trying to land her feet back on the ground, the soft, safe earth that would return her sense of security. But he dragged her on her heels, blinding her almost completely from the swift movements that surrounded her. She could vaguely sense Sokka some feet away from her but there were so many attackers, so many broken vibrations, that she couldn't identify a single one separately. She couldn't believe she had been caught off guard like that! If only she wasn't so _blind._

She bit down hard on his hand, earning a painful yelp from her captor and the freedom of her speech once again. She pulled roughly at his hand, keeping it far away from her mouth while she shouted out Sokka's name. Toph made sure to keep her voice clear, without that trace of fear lingering in it. She had no idea what good it would do; heck, calling for him could distract him from a fight and put him in even deeper danger! But what else could she do? She had been rendered helpless.

But his grip around her waist was tight and his grip only turned vice after her cry, so much so that she could feel a slight struggle with breathing begin. What was with that? She was being made weak by this. And she _was not weak. _This was just pathetic! Pull yourself together, Toph!

Sokka turned at the sound oh his name, eyes darting around in desperation for a glimpse of Toph amongst the sea of black. So far those around him hadn't moved an inch, only covered for the one that had seized Toph and disappeared. And just where to? He spun around, surveying those around him cautiously as he searched for her. They merely watched him, continuously unmoving, as if waiting. For a signal?

Dammit!

He was right in front of her! Why didn't the idiot notice? She tried to find a crack in the wall of warriors, trying to peer through them and catch Sokka's eye (not that she would know if she did but hey, it was worth a try). And she almost did, until she was dragged away and thrown against a tree trunk. Oi, that had hurt! And they'd covered her feet, the little bastards. She was completely helpless now. Sokka…

Another hand on her face. She tried to shrug the person off but hell were the persistent or what? "What do you want?" she snapped, venom dripping in her words, turning her had to the left in the direction the contact had come from. The reply, however, came from her right instead. The voice that spoke was raspy and sent shivers right up her spine.

"You're a friend of the Avatar. We could use you to our advantage."

Only now was she scared. Only now did he feel her heart begin to race rapidly in her chest, unusually faster than normal, _uncomfortably_ faster than normal. Her breathing became unsteady but she masked it with slow and silent breaths, forcefully controlled while she attempted to remain calm, cool, collected. She felt him caress her cheek again and only now did she realise the great advantage that she was at. Only now did she realise that she was in real danger, and he wouldn't necessarily be hurt just physically.

* * *

_"But I said you and me we don't have honesty, the things we don't want to speak.  
I'll try to get out but I never will, this traffic is perfectly still."_

* * *

_._


	5. o5

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**Suddenly I See**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

_"I'm just tryin' to find my way. Tryin' to find my way,  
Trying to find my way the best that I know how."_

**Hide and Seek**

* * *

"What did you do with the boy?" A voice called out from the distance.

"We left him back in the clearing. There's no way he'll survive from the wound I gave him, sir."

No way he'd survive, eh? These goons were fools.

He had been so close to losing his breath from fighting off so many of them when they had simple stopped. And thank Spirits; it had seemed as though they would never stop. With ever slash of his sword he had hoped that there would be no new substitute for whomever he had – hopefully – just wounded. He hadn't been quite so lucky. There was a continuous flow of back-up and the constant movement of his sword and completely worn him out; again and again and again and again and again. Someone up there really didn't like him.

And suddenly a pain had shot through him like an electric current. His sword had fallen to the floor with a soundless clatter as he hastily covered his wound with his hand in a frantic attempt to cease the flow of blood. The sting of the wound was clear and sharp at the time; it had dulled some by now but that didn't stop the pain. It had been pretty darn deep. He really hadn't expected to have been hurt so easily – what a stupid assumption of his. He should never have overlooked their speed. He should never have been so _careless. _If he hand't allowed his mind to wonder then he wouldn't have ended up stuck in such a feeble state. But Toph…

One of the many masked men had shouted out for the others to abandon him there. An arm had been waved at the two closest to Sokka, one of them the attacker who had sliced his arm open in the first place. Damn him to hell.

And Sokka could still hear his words echoing in his ears;

"The girl will be enough. She's an ally of the Avatar's. and if he doesn't come for her straight away, well, she can be used as more than a hostage."

He had met the speakers gaze with a sinister glower then – it was the least he could do while being so vulnerable. He had received a smirk in return, he could tell from the creases in the enemy's mask. The bastard! Sokka knew only too well what he was planning to do and he did not like it. Not. One. Bit. He wouldn't let them get their grimy hands on Toph if he could help it. But when he had stepped forward, reached down for his sword desperately, they were gone by the time he'd mustered the strength to rise again. But in spite of the situation, he couldn't keep back a smirk. They hadn't noticed but it was going to be a simple task to follow them.

What did they know? They didn't know him. They had no idea who he was.

He peered down from the thick branch he was perched in, high above their camp, though low enough to see what was happening below and for their words to reach his ears, however faintly. There were only three of them… three of them and Toph.

"She's pretty," one of them commented offhandedly, inspecting her face with some sort of sick delight. Sokka snarled in disgust. He was ever-so grateful when Toph spat in the man's face.

"Piss off," she muttered.

He merely let out a cold, harsh laugh and pulled her head towards his, fingertip slipping under her chin and tilting it up. Face to face. "You watch your mouth to you might just say something you'll regret."

She tore her head away from him and turned it to the side. He could just make out the fear behind her eyes, no matter how thick the shell she hid behind was. Her mask faltered slightly but it was enough to keep her enemies at bay. At least for the moment. Her frown meant nothing to him when he could almost feel her apprehension. And Sokka felt it like a stab at his heart.

"The others haven't returned," their leader spoke up, before extending his fingers in two different directions. "You two, go after them." They left without a word, fading away and being swallowed up by the night. Sokka let out a sigh of relief. He could fight of one of them, possibly two if required, but three would have just been impossible. One wouldn't be too bad. It might be easy, even. Or maybe he was just being overconfident.

The man knelt down next to Toph, far too close for comfort; both hers and Sokka's. "You should know your place, girl," he sneered, "You don't want to make my men angry. Trust me."

When she didn't respond his face took the form of a scowl, eyes narrowed in displeasure. As his servant had done, he grabbed her chin and turned her to face him, leaning in closer. Their faces were inches apart. Centimetres apart. Millimetres. They were getting closer. Toph squirmed away from him as best as she could but it was in vain. Just what in Spirits name did he think he was _doing?_

"Get away from her."

Sokka yanked the enemy away from Toph by his collar, paying no attention to the struggle he made. When their eyes met he gained assurance from the slight look of bewilderment in the man's eyes. Sokka's burned fiercely down at him and he held his sword to the opponents neck without hesitation. He stumbled backwards and the scrambled quickly to his feet, fleeing the scene with haste. Sokka slid his sword back into its sheath and bent down to Toph's level, noiselessly untying the knots that bounded her in a matter of moments.

There was no need for them to exchange words when her gaze met his; her eyes said it all. She looked at him in such gratitude that he had to double take. Was this really Toph? He had rarely seen her vulnerable side. It almost made him love her even more.

And then he took her hand and ran.

* * *

_"And ifI should fall, to the bottom of the end,  
I'll be one step back to you."_

* * *

_._


	6. o6

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**Suddenly I See**

* * *

**Chapter Six**

_"It's really good to hear your voice saying my name, it sounds so sweet,  
Coming from the lips of an angel, hearing those words it makes me weak."_

**Pillow**

* * *

They had made it back to the camp safe and sound, no problems there, and they hadn't needed to speak a word of what had happened to anyone. Katara would only have flipped out, no doubt about that, Suki would have been likely to follow in her footsteps, and Aang would have worried himself silly. All in all, they were getting off keeping their mouths firmly shut. Besides, its not as if anything spectacular had happened. They had just been one or two rogue warriors; nothing more, nothing less.

Something still bothered Sokka, though.

It was instinct that had made him protect Toph. He would always protect her without a second thought or one for his own safety – it was second nature and he had done it for years. What he couldn't understand was just what had made him so _infuriated. _Not at the enemies, although he now despised them with a burning passion, but at himself.

The look he had seen in her eyes while she had been sitting there in their company, entirely alone, kept reappearing in his mind, the memory repeating itself, reminding him of how horribly he had failed at defending her. The emotions that had showed up in her eyes; horror, worry, _disappointment _– they were _all his fault. _It he had only looked out for her better… he wouldn't be stuck with this awful, sickly sweet feeling of guilt.

He had to see her.

He stood outside of her tent for Spirits knows how long before finally plucking up the courage to enter. If she didn't want to see him then, naturally, he wouldn't blame her – it was only the reaction he was expecting. He just wanted to check that she was alright, that she was safe. He peered into her tend, careful with his actions. "Toph? Can I come in?"

She glanced at him and nodded slowly, wrapping her arms securely around herself a little more firmly. Hesitantly, Sokka made his way over to her and took a seat on the ground next to her. He watched her for a long moment, trying to figure out what she was thinking, how her mind was working. He had never been very good at that, even when the answer was staring him in the face, but somehow it had always been easier with Toph. Though he suddenly felt strangely distant from her, even more so than he had as of late.

She rested her head against him, her face hidden against his arm. "Thank you…" she whispered, as if only finding her voice, barely loud enough for him to hear. He distinguished the tone of her voice easily; trust. Another tear at his heart.

He didn't deserve her trust. He had let her down far too many times recently and tonight especially… How could she still have faith in him? It had only just hit him, square in the face; he hadn't been much of a friend either. It had been such a long while since he had last talked to her properly that she practically felt like a stranger. He wasn't sure she was still the Toph he used to know and love.

Love?

"Toph…" he started, shifting away from her slightly, "I…"

She didn't give him time to finish. She spoke over him before he could even think up the right words to say and carry on in his sentence. "Don't," her voice was still soft, gentle, something that only increased Sokka's feeling of guilt. But when she looked up at him she was smiling, just as she used to. "It's not your fault, okay Snoozles?" She punched his arm playfully, just the way he remembered.

He muttered a quiet "ow" but smiled all the same. He really had been fretting over nothing. Toph was perfectly fine; she didn't blame him at all. He sighed with relief. "You had me worried, you know."

"You worry too much," was all she replied with, stating it as if it were a fact and leaning closer to him, her head reclaiming it's previous position on his shoulder. He stroked her hair absently but found that even when he became aware of his actions, he didn't want to stop. It was comforting, just to sit here with Toph. He didn't need to make her laugh to be with her; they had an understanding with one another, regardless of their recent lack of interaction.

Sokka couldn't explain it. Being with Toph felt far more natural than being with Suki. There was no effort needed; they slotted together flawlessly, completing one another. They didn't have to act, it didn't matter what they said. They both accepted each other for who they work, took the good and the bad. And it suddenly hit Sokka why. It hit him hard, and it hit him fast.

He loved her.

* * *

_"And I never wanna' say goodbye, but girl you make it hard to be faithful  
With the lips of an angel."_

* * *

_._


	7. o7

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**Suddenly I See**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

_"Kiss me down by the broken tree house, swing me upon its hanging tire.  
Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat, we'll take the trail marked on your father's map."_

**Together**

* * *

Silence fell around them like darkness over the mountains. It was just like the other night, Toph realised, but she was enjoying this far too much to let it slip through her fingertips like last time. She wasn't going to keep secrets from him anymore. She knew that they were close again, perhaps, in some twisted way, even closer than before. And although she was still with Suki, why couldn't she share him? Sokka needed his friends just as much as he needed his girlfriend.

And she needed him far more than she thought she did. Far more than she would admit to.

His pulse echoed faintly in her ears. She couldn't comprehend why but it was beating quicker than normal. Was it still the guilt? She wouldn't have given any notice of it had she not recognised it, found it so strongly familiar. Her own hear beat matched it almost perfectly. It shared the same rhythm, the same beat, the same pulse, whenever he was near. Like now. Or was this just that wishful thinking of hers again?

"Sokka?"

"Hn?" he sounded somewhat surprised. She wasn't as used to using his first name; it tasted different on her lips. Should she really have done that? But by now she couldn't stop herself.

"Kiss me."

She had expected him to refuse. She had expected him to push her away, to freak out at the request. Why wouldn't he? She wouldn't have blamed him; it would only have been the normal reaction. But her heart would still belong to him, no matter what. Even if he rejected her, as he was bound to, she would continue to love him endlessly. She had tried not to give in to the emotion, not to let it grab a hold of her as it just had, but she had failed miserably. She just enjoyed it far too much and she really, truly, couldn't help it.

Just as anticipated, he pulled away from her. He looked down at her, she assumed with uncertainty, probably mixed with some confusion, some worry… but then he did something she had never suspected. He leaned down, his breath ticking her neck as he moved in closer. And mere moments later his lips touched hers.

* * *

_"Lift your open hand, strike up the band and make the fireflies dance,  
Silver moon's sparkling.  
So kiss me."_

* * *

_**Fin**__._


End file.
